Changing your Prayers

13Aug09

“For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whomevery family] in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” –Ephesians 3:14-19

That passage makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Look at how passionately and how thoroughly Paul is praying for others to know Christ! It’s not a “Dear Lord, please help me be a light in my friends life that he may be saved. Amen.” No no no. He passionately is praying that they will fully understand who Christ is and that they will “be filled with all the fullness of God.” How often do we pray like that? How often do we even hope like that? When I see someone who I know doesn’t know Christ, my desire is meager, “I hope they’ll find themselves one step closer toward You.” But what if I prayed like Paul, who had an incredibly fruitful ministry. What if I prayed that those who don’t know Christ that they have the Spirit in their inner being? I would argue that the way we pursue those who don’t know Christ would change. More than that, Christ could answer those prayers. Here are the next two verses:

” Now tohim who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

He can do “far more abundantly than all that we ask or think.” So don’t be afraid to shoot for moon in your prayer life! My challenge is that you think of three people today that either don’t know Christ or who have fallen away from Him, and you say this prayer for each of them. Let me know how it goes!

If you haven’t ever felt this yourself, or don’t know Christ personally, let me say that this is my prayer for YOU. If you need to talk or have any questions, please call us 1-866-633-3446, or email us at first@iamsecond.com.